Lancashire have confirmed the appointment of Dale Benkenstein as the club’s new head coach.

The former South African international joins from Gloucestershire, where has had been head coach since November 2021. He previously had a stint as a batting consultant at Old Trafford.

Benkenstein also served as head coach at Hampshire between 2014 and 2016, guiding the club to promotion into Division One as champions and two Vitality Blast Finals Day appearances.

The 49-year-old enjoyed a successful playing career, hitting more than 15,000 first class runs and nearly 10,000 limited overs runs.

He told the club website: “I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to become head coach of Lancashire Cricket. It is a county with a proud history and tradition and it’s an exciting time to be joining the club.

“Lancashire is a county that I’ve always admired for doing things the right way and has always produced teams that are resilient and difficult to beat.

“It is a hugely talented group of players to work with and I am really excited to be part of that and to bring my own vision to Emirates Old Trafford.

“It’s a new challenge for me personally and one which I can’t wait to get stuck into. I am looking forward to meeting the players and staff in the new year and continuing the squad’s preparations ahead of the upcoming campaign.”

Director of cricket performance Mark Chilton added: “We are delighted to secure Dale as our new men’s head coach. He joins us with a wealth of experience and knowledge, and I believe Dale is the right person to move us forward and into our next chapter.

“He is a fantastic fit for what we’re trying to achieve, has demonstrable leadership ability, a strong record of developing and nurturing young, talented players to fulfil their potential and has also been part of winning teams, particularly at Durham and Hampshire.

“I am looking forward to working with Dale and welcoming him to Emirates Old Trafford in the new year as we continue to build on the foundations that have been laid in recent years with an exciting group of players.”